Modelling

Why Model? Industrial plants with variable heat and power demands, on-site generation, and possibly energy storage, are very complex systems. Simply looking at technical parameters is not enough to estimate how well a plant will function; choosing the correct technological combination is highly involved and case-specific. Therefore this project did not focus on suggesting an ideal solution for energy autonomy. Instead, the objective was to determine how different technical parameters interact with each other and how the choice of technology depends on them. This was achieved by constructing a simplified mathematical model.

 

It is not realistic to expect the model to give reliable answers to very general, high level questions like “What is the most suitable technology for our industry?”. The final answer depends on complex (and often subjective) aspects like company priorities, predictions about the future, the decision maker’s perception of risk, etc.

 

However, a model can help the user reach the decision by answering more precise questions that can be numerically defined. Figure 1 shows a brief list of such questions used in this project.

 

There is a variety of energy modelling software available that can help answer these questions: HOMER, Merit, etc. However, none of these offered the transparency necessary for this project. Therefore the decision was made to develop a custom calculator.

Figure 1. Questions for the model

Developing the Model

The methodology behind how the model was created

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The Final MOdel

A description of how the final model works

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